Modi Calls for 'Historic' Australia-India Cooperation

in Nuclear Energy, Critical Minerals

Melbourne — July 9, 2026

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi used a major business address in Melbourne on Thursday to push for deeper Australia-India ties in nuclear power, renewable energy, critical minerals and green hydrogen,

framing the relationship between the two nations as one of the most promising economic partnerships in the Indo-Pacific.

A Pitch for Deeper Energy Ties

Speaking at the Australia-India Economic Roadmap business event, Modi said the relationship between the two countries presented historic opportunities for cooperation in nuclear and renewable energy, critical minerals and green hydrogen. He argued that Australia's technology, capital and natural resources could help accelerate India's energy transition, and pointed to possible joint projects in low-carbon aluminium production. Modi told the gathering the two nations had historic opportunities to cooperate in this field, and urged Australian business leaders to make long-term investments in India's roads, ports, railways and urban infrastructure.

The remarks came after Modi arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday night to a red-carpet welcome, the second stop on a six-day, three-nation tour that began in Indonesia and will conclude in New Zealand. On arrival, he wrote on social media that the visit would add momentum to the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Uranium Deal at the Center of Talks

The centerpiece of Modi's visit is a long-delayed agreement on Australian uranium exports to India. The two countries signed a civil nuclear cooperation pact more than a decade ago, but actual trade has remained limited, hampered by concerns over ensuring the fuel is used strictly for peaceful purposes. Australian media reported ahead of the visit that a commercial uranium supply agreement could finally be finalized during Modi's stop in Melbourne, more than ten years after the original framework was signed.

The stakes for India are significant: the country is targeting 100 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2047, and securing a reliable uranium supplier outside its existing arrangements would bolster that goal while diversifying its fuel sources. For Australia, finalizing the deal would open a substantial new long-term export market and deepen strategic ties with a key Indo-Pacific partner at a time when Canberra is trying to reduce its economic reliance on China, currently its largest trading partner.

Modi held a working session with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, co-chairing the third Annual Leaders' Summit between the two countries. Albanese described Modi as a "living bridge" connecting Australia and India, crediting the Indian leader's vision with reshaping Canberra's economic roadmap for engagement with New Delhi. The two leaders were expected to hold further formal talks later Thursday, with officials indicating a range of joint announcements would follow.

Minerals, Defense and Diaspora Diplomacy

Beyond nuclear energy, the summit agenda includes critical minerals such as lithium, which India needs for its expanding electric-vehicle industry and which Australia holds in abundance. Discussions are also expected to touch on cybersecurity, advanced technology, clean energy supply chains and defense cooperation — areas both governments have flagged as increasingly central to their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and to the broader Quad grouping that includes the United States and Japan.

Analysts note that with Washington appearing less consistently engaged in Quad initiatives of late, India and Australia have shown greater willingness to strengthen bilateral defense and security cooperation on their own. India is currently Australia's fifth-largest trading partner, behind China, Japan, the United States and South Korea, and roughly a million Australians claim Indian ancestry — a demographic link Modi is expected to draw on directly. He is scheduled to address thousands of members of the Indian diaspora at a large stadium event in Melbourne later Thursday, continuing a pattern of high-profile diaspora rallies he has held during past visits to the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia.

The visit has not been without friction. Australia's Alliance Against Islamophobia has said it plans to protest outside the stadium event, citing concerns over the treatment of minority groups in India, while a separate demonstration against Indian migration to Australia is also planned.

Before arriving in Australia, Modi spent three days in Indonesia, where he and President Prabowo Subianto signed 14 agreements covering agriculture, defense, critical minerals and maritime security, including a deal involving the BrahMos cruise missile system. He is due to depart for New Zealand on Friday, the final leg of his three-nation tour, before returning to India.

This report reflects the latest available coverage as talks in Melbourne continue; further announcements, including on the uranium supply agreement, may follow later Thursday.